


Acquaintances

by orphan_account



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Gothamstuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-02
Updated: 2012-07-02
Packaged: 2017-11-09 00:40:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/449319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>robin!John and batgirl!Jade go on patrol, and come across a less than thankful vigilante.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Acquaintances

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Stephanie's birthday! A sort of odd crossover involving Homestuck in a Gotham setting, with Bats! John as Robin, Jade as Batgirl, and rogue gallery trolls.

John had decided that yes, maybe the short pants weren't as entirely dignified as say, Jade's Batgirl suit. But it was all in good fun, she said. Batgirl and Robin! Two young crusaders dominating the Gotham rooftops and setting vigilantes straight!

No Dave, no Rose constantly making comments over the intercom..

This wasn't going to be fun.

The way that Jade moves though, just a little too spry and floaty for a crime fighter, not at all as solid as Dave. Not that they had anything to blame her for, though. John could still count how many days she's been with them at the manor on his hands. In fact, it was actually kind of astonishing how well the teenager took their request for the cape and cowl.

Sometimes she seemed concerned for Tavros, other days John could hardly tell and kept his mouth shut. Everything was stronger now; he could definitely feel the kicks when they struck, and the swift elbows jabs that always seemed to brush against his shoulder when he dodged. Still, even in practice she was somehow too stiff, not as loose and carefree as she normally went about on patrol.

Maybe it was the fact that Dave didn't have his constant eye on her. Which, he honestly didn't need to do in the first place. He'd seen her jumps, and the time John had miraculously staggered into the infirmary, followed by Jade's constant flood of apologies.

"Oh no, I'm sorry, it won't happen again! Promise! Promise!"

She was kind of soft in that regard, John thought.

But _Batgirl_ wasn't soft, not at all. Not even her dodges were hesitant, nor were the grabs she replied with and how she finished off one of their targets in record time. But never ruthless, she didn't have the capacity to even consider any further action than what was necessary.

Which was fantastic, absolutely perfect. No one had to worry if someone got hurt, and if someone did it'd be the fault of the opponent themselves, and whether or not they decided to perpetuate their self-inflicted demise.

Really, this wasn't the person that needed perpetuating, but John decided to keep his mouth shut instead. If anything, any kind of vaguely shaped ill-intentioned comment would just ignite their target's foul mouth.

"Hey," the Red Hood spat, "maybe just a lift would be nice?"

Jade crouched in behind her Batgirl cowl, the cape wiping up behind her at the drizzle slipped past it. John stood besides her in his Robin suit, the domino mask scratched up from earlier, and his cape nowhere as flamboyant as Jade's was.

The troll scrambled from his grip as the water ran through his fingers and across his slightly opened helmet. He had refused to open it, however was quickly prompted to do so with the threat of Batgirl letting go. The city gargoyle peered straight back at him, occasionally scuffing the side of his helmet as he tried to fix his position. The eye shield dropped over Karkat's face, however Jade could still feel his yellow eyes drilling through her.

"Well," she chirped. "Perhaps we can make a deal?"

John opened his mouth, ready to list all of the reasons why this of all options was the worst to choose from. Fortunately Rose had carefully phrased that because of other ordeals regarding Dave at the Iceberg Lounge, her communications would only be capable of focusing on that. If any unexpected situations were to occur, it would be in not only her best interests, but ultimately their own as well to simply avoid more dangerous heists.

Plans were good sometimes, when they were followed. Thing had been ideal in the beginning, before the rain, and they did manage to drive a suspicious pair into the hands of Commissioner Terezi. Normally it would be John to lead the patrol, be the objective one since Jade was still considered new, and might as well learn the ropes.

But the Red Hood didn't agree much to that perspective when John had voiced his opinion about the matter. Batgirl giggled, and reminded Karkat that yes, those _were_ green short pants he was wearing and they were actually incredibly maneuverable. Whatever it had been the troll had gotten himself involved with certainly went awry, as he had been practically found in the same position as Batgirl currently kept him in.

The fall would be messy business, and neither of them would really want to burden the Gotham Sanitary Officials like that. Even if their job never got admittedly messy, there were the exceptions. For the sake of brevity and familiarity, John decided that Karkat might as well not be that exception tonight.

Jade reached further down, wrapping her hands around Karkat's arm and tugged. The troll groaned from behind the red helmet, glancing up at slightly purple colored cowl as he found footing on the gargoyle. The Strider Tower gargoyles - that's right. How old were they, anyways?

"Are you -" Jade asked

"I'm fine," Karkat hissed. He twisted the helmet around off his head, revealing a particularly messy head of black hair and somewhat nubby horns. The horns were always a bit of an oddity to the two, to be honest, however they supposed it would be more respectful not to ask.

The drizzle seemed to have thicken over the few passing minutes, pounding the building rooftops and idly rolling off their uniforms. John felt a shiver creep up his spine, feeling the breeze twist around him and flutter his cape out from behind.

"But," John hesitated. Jade turned around, just as curious to hear what he had to say as he wanted to remember exactly what it had been. Karkat made a stifled noise, checking his side for his holster, realizing all his equipment was still there and ready to leave.

"Weather's too bad to even try anything, if that's what you're worried about," Karkat strongly replied. "I have absolutely no aspirations for the rest of the evening, unlike you probably."

"Well," John rubbed one of his wrists, thinking of a reply suitable to follow up with. Trolls were good at that; sharp, intrusive banter that might as well didn't mean as much as it actually did.

"See you then," Karkat answered dryly. He paced over to a nearby fire escape, grabbing a hold of the rusted frame, and sliding on to its balcony. John and Jade paused for a moment, expecting some sort of commentary from the other, swapping too brief glances, and fixing their equipment.

John could hear the blood flow through his ears, and waited for Jade to turn around.

"At least -" Jade started, and then abruptly stopped again to look over her shoulder. "He isn't as horrible as Dave makes him out to be."

Trolls had a very infamous relationship with the Strider family. Commissioner Terezi had expressed her wide interests in the variety of outing her and Dave could engage themselves in, but there was always the matter of the late run patrols. However since John's interests in the case at the Chemical Plant, not only had he been given the permission to accompany Dave in his duties, but to see first hand who these criminals really were.

If anything, Karkat actually had more bark than bite. But John and Dave kept that bit to themselves, since the true nature of the Hood wasn't entirely understood yet. It was better to keep new members wary, anyways, never ready to underestimate.

And hopefully Rose wouldn't have any stern words for either of them.

  


 


End file.
